Staff: 19th2025: 20thReaders: NR

Soon to be 22 this September, 6’6 goaltender Kevin Reidler was selected 151st overall in the fifth round of the 2022 NHL Draft. He begins his entry-level contract this season after signing an amateur tryout agreement (ATO) with the Belleville Senators this past March.

Reidler appeared in two games at the end of last season, finishing with a 1–1 record. His first start was a 3–0 loss to the Utica Comets, while his second was a 6–4 victory over the Syracuse Crunch. Through those two appearances, he stopped 50 of 57 shots for a .877 save percentage. While the numbers are modest, it’s important to remember that it’s an extremely small sample size. The real evaluation of his game begins this season.

Reidler will compete with Jackson Parsons for the starting role in Belleville. Parsons appeared in 14 games for the Belleville Senators last season but spent the majority of the year in the ECHL before being recalled to Belleville in April to finish the season.

Reidler’s size is naturally one of his biggest assets and is certainly something that excites the Senators organization. His frame allows him to cover a significant portion of the net, and he possesses above-average mobility for a goaltender of his size. He moves well laterally, is capable of stopping cross-crease opportunities, and does an effective job battling in tight around the crease.

However, there are still areas of his game that require development. At times, he struggles with setting his feet before shots, can overcommit to shooters, and occasionally has difficulty controlling rebounds that end up underneath him. As he continues working with professional goaltending coaches, improving his rebound control and directing pucks safely into the corners – or quickly covering them up – will be key. By using his positional size more effectively, he can allow his frame to do most of the work while remaining under control in the crease.

Kevin Reidler kept things rolling on Saturday against the WisconSENS, earning his fifth straight win with a 40-save performance 🔥

Reidler is 10-3-0 with a .916 SV% through 13 GP at Penn State#GoSensGo pic.twitter.com/zRz7okTGR9

— Sens Prospects (@SensProspects) January 27, 2026

Originally from Sweden, Reidler spent the past two seasons in the NCAA, most recently with Penn State University, where he got his chance to compete in the Big Ten division. He earned a transfer to Penn State because of his impressive first season with the University of Nebraska Omaha, where he excelled in net, and Penn State decided to give him an opportunity this past season. His season took a downturn in late February, as inconsistency crept into his game, and he eventually lost the starting job to freshman Joshua Fleming. Reidler did not start during Penn State’s NCAA Tournament run and served as the backup as they were eliminated in the first round by the University of Minnesota Duluth.

With the expectation that Leevi Meriläinen will begin the season in Ottawa, Reidler should at least open the year in Belleville. His combination of size and athleticism gives the organization plenty of reason for optimism, but he will need to demonstrate greater consistency if he hopes to remain in the AHL throughout the season. Goaltenders typically require more time to develop, and the Senators appear willing to be patient given the depth they currently have in goal.

The Senators are building strong competition throughout every level of the organization. In Ottawa, the crease features Linus Ullmark, Samuel Ersson, and Meriläinen. In Belleville, Reidler and Parsons will battle for playing time. The organization also has promising prospect Lucas Beckman developing in the QMJHL, where he could earn a professional opportunity sooner rather than later if his progression continues.

For Reidler, this means his opportunity to establish himself as the fourth-best goaltender in the organization will depend heavily on his performance this season. His results, consistency, and ability to improve the weaker areas of his game will ultimately determine how highly he is viewed within the Senators’ depth chart.

If Meriläinen were to clear waivers—an unlikely scenario—it would place even more pressure on Reidler. By that point, he would need to have proven that he deserves to remain in Belleville ahead of other options. While many of the circumstances surrounding where he plays this season are outside of his control, he can force the organization’s hand by consistently performing in net. If he proves he belongs, Steve Staios may have little choice but to keep him in the AHL rather than assigning him to the ECHL.

Regardless of where he spends this season, Reidler remains a long-term project. He still needs time to refine his footwork, rebound control, and overall consistency, and there is no immediate need for him to challenge for NHL minutes. A realistic timeline would see him pushing for NHL consideration in approximately three seasons.

If his development continues on an upward trajectory, he could also become a valuable trade asset for Staios as the Senators continue shaping their roster in the years ahead.